Draft Proposed Impoundment Classifications

In accordance with the Coal Ash Management Act of 2014, or CAMA, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality developed draft proposed classifications for all coal ash impoundments, including active and retired sites, for the purpose of closure based on the sites’ risks to the public, environment and natural resources.

In March, DEQ will conduct a public meeting in each county where a coal ash facility is located. The public is invited to attend these meetings to learn more about the background information and data that support the proposed impoundment classifications and provide comment to help inform the agency's final determinations.

Under CAMA, all Duke Energy coal ash impoundments in North Carolina are required to be closed. The deadlines for closure depend on the classification of each impoundment as low, intermediate or high. CAMA also required DEQ to make available to the public draft proposed classifications no later than Dec. 31, 2015. Thesedraft proposed classifications released Dec. 31 are based on the information available to the department as of December 2015. It is important to note that these are not the final proposed classifications. The final proposed classifications cannot be made until the extensive public participation process outlined in CAMA has concluded.

Public input and involvement is a critical component of the classification process. All draft proposed classifications are subject to change based on public input, including scientific and technical data gained through the public input process outlined above. A detailed list of public meetings can be foundhere.